Post by ajk on Jun 21, 2022 1:13:11 GMT -5
There was a LOT to think through in this one. Still not sure I have it right.
I enjoyed watching the episode. The production quality was terrific. The music in particular deserves a mention, but all of it was solid. It held your attention from start to finish. But in the end there was a big omission in the writing and it left a bad aftertaste.
The story itself was morbidly fascinating; almost had a Watergate feel to it. Who knew what and when did they know it; who was thinking what and when were they thinking it. I said last time that this sure did not seem like the only possible way out of their problem—they could have simply released Jin Ho, said The deal’s off and give Kyun-hwon a chance to reciprocate—but if this is what really happened in history then so be it.
The one big problem throughout the episode is the almost silence about the reality that killing Jin Ho is grounds for execution for treason. It wasn’t until more than twenty minutes had passed before anyone even mentioned it; finally General Bae brought it up, and as soon as he brought it up it disappeared for the rest of the episode. The conspirators were completely disregarding their king’s promise to another nation’s king. Why did they not fear for their own lives? When Choi Ung pulled out that poison to give to Wang Shikryum, I assumed that the poison was for Shikryum to take himself for committing such a treasonous act. But no. None of this ever seemed to concern any of the conspirators all that much. Probably what happened is that in real history nobody got in too much trouble for it in the end, so that side of it was never addressed by the writers here. But it should have been addressed! Because a lot of kings would have had the whole lot of them executed or exiled, and so it was a huge risk to be taking. And that side of it should have been a big part of the story.
WG: “Suddenly died during dinner? Absurd!” Yes, exactly…Then he tells Bok Jikyum, “Take the royal physician and examine the body.” Apparently he’s never watched a historical drama before if he thinks that’s going to produce the truth.
Physician: “I suspect foul play.” Bok Jikyum: “Physician, this man died of a chronic illness. Do you understand?” Yeaaaahhhh, who didn’t see that one coming….
But in the end, Shikryum tells him Choi Ung thinks Wang Shin is doomed no matter what we do…and after all of the brooding and anxiety Wang Shin’s fate has been causing him, suddenly he just sort of meekly acts like Gee I guess Choi is right, okay I won’t feel too bad about it any more. And then Shikryum basically confesses the whole thing, sort of sideways style, and says Please don’t push this…and WG doesn’t push it. Seriously? Can you imagine people pulling this kind of stunt when Goongyae was on the throne? Yes Goongyae did get to be rather paranoid, but still, he would have smelled a rat immediately and have investigators questioning high officials so fast our heads would spin. This was a massive disregarding of the king’s authority and the king just rolled over and took it. Maybe this is what actually happened—WG had sort of a shaky grip on authority at the beginning so maybe he had to let this one go for the sake of his throne. But wow…and then in the end WG ends up thanking Shikryum for understanding him rather than tossing him in jail for insubordination. OK yes he’s family, but still I don’t get it.
So it was a whopping 28 seconds before Jin Ho felt any effect from the poison, and 1:38 for the stuff to kill him. In KHS poisoning time, that’s an eternity!
Kyun-hwon to his sons: “Covetousness breaks the sack. You must learn restraint.” What a great line.
KH: “But he was a perfectly healthy young man! How could Wang Guhn do this?” The question now is whether or not Bekjae’s physicians examine the body and find evidence of poison like the Koryo royal physician did. Another thing the conspirators didn’t think about, did they. Ugh.
I enjoyed watching the episode. The production quality was terrific. The music in particular deserves a mention, but all of it was solid. It held your attention from start to finish. But in the end there was a big omission in the writing and it left a bad aftertaste.
The story itself was morbidly fascinating; almost had a Watergate feel to it. Who knew what and when did they know it; who was thinking what and when were they thinking it. I said last time that this sure did not seem like the only possible way out of their problem—they could have simply released Jin Ho, said The deal’s off and give Kyun-hwon a chance to reciprocate—but if this is what really happened in history then so be it.
The one big problem throughout the episode is the almost silence about the reality that killing Jin Ho is grounds for execution for treason. It wasn’t until more than twenty minutes had passed before anyone even mentioned it; finally General Bae brought it up, and as soon as he brought it up it disappeared for the rest of the episode. The conspirators were completely disregarding their king’s promise to another nation’s king. Why did they not fear for their own lives? When Choi Ung pulled out that poison to give to Wang Shikryum, I assumed that the poison was for Shikryum to take himself for committing such a treasonous act. But no. None of this ever seemed to concern any of the conspirators all that much. Probably what happened is that in real history nobody got in too much trouble for it in the end, so that side of it was never addressed by the writers here. But it should have been addressed! Because a lot of kings would have had the whole lot of them executed or exiled, and so it was a huge risk to be taking. And that side of it should have been a big part of the story.
WG: “Suddenly died during dinner? Absurd!” Yes, exactly…Then he tells Bok Jikyum, “Take the royal physician and examine the body.” Apparently he’s never watched a historical drama before if he thinks that’s going to produce the truth.
Physician: “I suspect foul play.” Bok Jikyum: “Physician, this man died of a chronic illness. Do you understand?” Yeaaaahhhh, who didn’t see that one coming….
But in the end, Shikryum tells him Choi Ung thinks Wang Shin is doomed no matter what we do…and after all of the brooding and anxiety Wang Shin’s fate has been causing him, suddenly he just sort of meekly acts like Gee I guess Choi is right, okay I won’t feel too bad about it any more. And then Shikryum basically confesses the whole thing, sort of sideways style, and says Please don’t push this…and WG doesn’t push it. Seriously? Can you imagine people pulling this kind of stunt when Goongyae was on the throne? Yes Goongyae did get to be rather paranoid, but still, he would have smelled a rat immediately and have investigators questioning high officials so fast our heads would spin. This was a massive disregarding of the king’s authority and the king just rolled over and took it. Maybe this is what actually happened—WG had sort of a shaky grip on authority at the beginning so maybe he had to let this one go for the sake of his throne. But wow…and then in the end WG ends up thanking Shikryum for understanding him rather than tossing him in jail for insubordination. OK yes he’s family, but still I don’t get it.
So it was a whopping 28 seconds before Jin Ho felt any effect from the poison, and 1:38 for the stuff to kill him. In KHS poisoning time, that’s an eternity!
Kyun-hwon to his sons: “Covetousness breaks the sack. You must learn restraint.” What a great line.
■ In April 926, six months after his triumphant battle against Wang Guhn in Jomul Fort, Kyun-hwon returned to his capital. By this time he had subjugated 20-odd forts and extended his territory to Guh-chang. He had a clearer vision about his direction, and intended to devise his plans upon his return. But he would receive the shocking news about Jin Ho’s death.
KH: “But he was a perfectly healthy young man! How could Wang Guhn do this?” The question now is whether or not Bekjae’s physicians examine the body and find evidence of poison like the Koryo royal physician did. Another thing the conspirators didn’t think about, did they. Ugh.